Flatwork ironer chest



une 23 1970 G. L. OBERLEY FLAT'woRK IRoNER CHEST 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 7, 1969 INVENTOR L. OBERLEY IIHH.

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G. L. OBERLEY 3,516,184

FLATWORK IRONER CHEST June 23, 1970 4 SheetsShee'c. 2

Filed March 7, 1969 F Illa!! l lLlllllllr.

1 m W M H n Y n I W H m n m n n i ll/ M QM /////A/////////////// U Q H INVENTOR GENE L. OBERLEY AGENT June 23, 1970 Filed March '7. 1969 G. L. OBERLEY FLATWORK IRONER CHEST F'l G. 5

4 She@cs--Sheeil 5 lNvENToR GENE L. oBERLEY am? #FAW AGENT June 2s, 1970 G- L' OBERLEY,

FLATWORK IRONER CHEST 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

Filed March 7, 1969 NNX ` INVENTOR L. OBERLEY GENE AGENT UnitedStates Patent O 3,516,184 FLATWORK [RONER CHEST Gene L. Oberley, Pittsford, N.Y., assignor to McGraw- Edison Company, Elgin, Ill., a corporation of Delaware Filed Mar. 7, 1969, Ser. No. 805,152 Int. Cl. D06f 63/00 U.S. Cl. 38--56 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A flatwork ironer chest of fabricated construction comprises a rectilinear pressing trough supported on a rigid elongate frame through a rigid center block and through exible support plates at the ends of the trough. The center block conforms to and is Welded to the outside wall of the trough, but the flexible support plates are secured only to the uppermost side portions of the trough by arms at the ends of the plates to permit a thermal expansion and contraction of the trough without the same being warped out of rectilinearity. Further, the trough has semicylindrical channel members welded to the outside wall thereof running from the center block to the ends of the trough to provide heating ducts, and the arms of the ilexible support plates are connected to the trough by Welding the arms through filler plates to the outermost ones of the channels.

Flatwork ironer chests are used with padded cylindrical rollers which must conform evenly to the concave ironing surface of the chest along the length thereof in order for the roller to have an even ironing pressure along the chest. The chests are subjected to temperature changes by reason of the internal heating thereof and the cooling effect of cold damp materials being fed between the roller and the pressing trough. It is necessary that such localized temperature changes do not warp the pressing trough out of rectilinearity along its lengthwise dimension in order to preserve an even ironing pressure. The prior art such as Pat. No. 2,869,258 teaches ways to limit distortion of the curvature of the trough as viewed from a transverse cross section thereof but does not consider distortion of the trough out of rectilinearity along its length dimension. The latter distortion is the more serious Abecause it causes the ironing pressure to vary along the padded roller and may even cause gaps along the roller Where there is no ironing pressure at all.

An object of the invention is to provide a fabricated ironer chest of a novel and economical construction wherein thermal expansion and contraction of the trough from temperature changes incurred in ironing operations do not cause the trough to be warped or distorted out of rectilinearity along its lengthwise dimensions.

These and other objects and features of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the appended claims.

In the description of my invention reference is had to the accompanying drawings, of which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational View of a atwork ironer chest according to the invention having a right hand portion broken away;

FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view of the ironer chest;

FIG. 3 is a right end elevational view of the ironer chest;

FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 are transverse vertical sectional views taken respectively on the lines 4 4, 5--5 and 6-6 of FIG. l;

FIG. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 7-7 of FIG. 2;

FIGS. 8 and 9 are fractional views showing respectively f* lCe the means securing the outer and intermediate support plates to the steam conduit channel members on the outer wall of the trough; and

FIG. l() is a view illustrating the exure of the outer support plates responsive to longitudinal expansion and contraction of the trough.

The steam chest shown in the drawings comprises an elongate trough 10` which is rectilinear in its lengthwise dimension and of an arcuate concave shape throughout its central portion with outwardly curved side portions as viewed from the end. The concave surface is polished to form the Working or ironing surface. Resting on this polished ironing surface under its own weight is a padded roller R indicated by dash-dot lines in FIG. 3, which is rotated about its central longitudinal axis to carry the sheets or other items to be pressed through the ironing chest.

The trough 10 is mounted in a novel manner according to the invention on a rigid elongate frame 11 comprising two spaced parallel angle irons 12 and 13 mounted so that their vertical sides are to the outside of the frame. These angle irons are secured together by four transverse smaller angle irons 14, 15, 16 and 17 (FIG. l) which are welded to the bottom faces of the longitudinal angle irons 12 and 13. The transverse angle irons 14-17 are spaced at about equal intervals from each other along the frame starting with the outermost angle irons being inset from the ends of the frame. The support means for the trough comprises a central rigid block-like vertical support 18, two intermediate snpport plates 19 and 20' at the opposite sides of the central supporting block 18 and two outer supporting plates 21 and 22 beyond the intermediate plates. It will of course be understood however that there may be any additional number of support plates as may be desired. These support plates have depending lug-like portions depending between the frame angle irons 12 and 13 which are welded to the transverse angle irons 15, 16, 14 and 17 respectively.

The ends of the frame are closed by frame plates 23 (FIG. 3) which are welded to the ends of the angle irons 12 and 13. These frame plates have circular cutouts 24 (FIG. 3) so that their upper edges conform to the trough without extending beyond the ironing surface thereof. The trough 10 terminates short of these frame plates 23 to allow for thermal expansion and contraction thereof relative to the frame. Welded to the bottom edges of the frame plates 23 and to the adjacent inner portions of the horizontal sides of the angle irons 12 and 13 at the four corners of the frame are metal bars 25 (FIGS. 1, 2 and 3) forming feet by which the ironing chest can be seated on a main frame or support.

Set inwardly from the ends of the trough 10i by a small distance are transverse end plates 26 (FIG. 4) the upper edge of which is curved to conform to the outer surface of the trough 10. These end plates are welded along the length of this curved upper edge to the trough. The end plates may be free of the frame angle irons 12 and 13= since they are not relied upon to provide any support for the trough. Between these end plates 26 and the central block support 18 are side-by-side channel members 27 having their edges welded to the outer wall of the trough 10 to form a series of parallel heating conduits. These channel members are notched at the ends facing the end plates 26 as indicated at 28 (FIGS. l and 2) and the end portions of the channel members are sealed to the end plates 26 to form a manifold by means of a cover strip 29 having a serrated inner edge 30 bent inwardly to conform to the Walls of the channel members. This cover strip is welded continuously along its edges both at one side to the channel members and at the other side to the end plates 26 to form a sealed chamber communicating with each of the steam conduits. A threaded nipple 31 is connected to the lowermost point of this cover strip to form a suitable steam outlet.

The inner ends of the channel members 27 abut against and are welded to the respective side walls of the central supporting block 1S. This central block 18 is of a fabricated construction comprising an arcuate wall strip 32 (FIGS. 2 and 6) interposed between and welded along its side edges to identical heavy side plates 33. These side plates 33 have arcuate upper edges conforming to and welded to the outside lwall of the trough. The arcuate edges are however notched at intervals as shown at 34 to form side openings in registration with the respective channel members 27. In the lowermost part of the arcuate strip 32 is a threaded nipple 34 to be connected to a suitable source of steam not shown. Thus, the central block 18 forms also a header or manifold with one inlet nipple and with a series of outlet openings 34 at each side thereof communicating with the channel members 27 running from the central support block to the ends of the trough. A baille 35 comprising a metal strip bridging the side walls 33 of the central block is placed at a short distance above the nipple 34 to prevent the inrushing steam from overheating the trough at a localized point just above the inlet nipple 34.

The side plates 33 of the central block support 18 are Welded along the side edges 36 and bottom edges 37 to the vertical and horizontal sides of the frame angle irons 12 and 13 (FIG. 6) and are welded along their arcuate edges 38 between the notches 34 to the outside wall of the trough 10. Further, the upper edges of the vertical sides of the frame angle irons 12 and 13 are welded to the under side of the trough for a short distance of a few inches extending to each side of the central support block 18 (FIG. l). Thus, the trough is secured rigidly to the frame in the region midway the length thereof both by direct welding of the side portions of the trough to the frame angle irons and by the welded connection of the trough to the frame through the central support block 18'.

The intermediate and outer support plates 19, 20, 21 and 22 have the same contour as shown in FIG. 5. Thus, each support plate has oblique arms at the ends designated by the reference number of the support plate with the suix letter a, which extend upwardly from the central portion welded to the respective transverse angle iron of the frame. Each support plate has an arcuate top edge throughout its central portion designated by the reference number of the plate with the sutiix letter b. These arcuate edges merge tangentially into upwardly inclined straight edges at the ends of the arms designated by the suffix letter c. Between each straight edge portion of each arm of the support plate and the adjacent channel members 27 at the sides of the trough is a filler plate, there being a iiller plate 39 between each arm of the outer support plates 21 `and 22 and the channel members 27 and a filler plate 40 between each arm of the intermediate support plates 19 and 20 and the channel members 27. The filler plates 39 and 40 bridge the distance from the crest of the outermost channel member 27 to the next adjacent channel member and have side tabs 39a and 40a bent downwardly and shaped to conform to the adjacent walls of the two channel members. These filler plates are welded along the length of these side tabs to the walls of the channel members. The support plates engage the filler plates midway the width thereof and are welded to these iiller plates only along the inside edges of the support plates relative to the ends of the trough so that the welds are in compression when the trough expands. Thus, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 there is a weld fill 41 at the inner side of the outer support plate 22 extending from the outermost end thereof through a short distance about one-half the length of the filler plate 39 and there is a weld lill 42 at the inner side of the intermediate support plate 20 which is purposely made longer to extend from. the outer edge of the filler plate throughout the major length thereof.

By way of typical example, the side plates 33 of the central block support 18 may be of one-half inch thickness, the intermediate support plates 19 and 20 may have a thickness of three-eighths inch and the outer support plates 21 and 22 may have a thickness of one-quarter inch. This is done so that the intermediate plates will have a degree of bending flexibility relative to the rigid center block 18 and so that the outer plates willhave a still greater flexibility where the contraction and expansion of the trough is at its greatest. This llexibility length- Wise of the trough is augmented by the fact that the intermediate and outer support plates have relatively long arms providing cantilever-like connections between the rigid frame 11 and the uppermost side portions of the trough 10, and by the fact that these support arms are connected to the trough not directly but through the filler plates to the relatively thin-walled channel members 27. By reason of this flexibility of the support members longitudinally of the trough the latter is allowed to expand and contract longitudinally as indicated in FIG. 10 without being subjected to distortion forces which would `warp it out of rectilinearity along its lengthwise dimension. The padded roller R will therefore maintain an even pressure on the trough along the length of the roller notwithstanding temperature variations causing an expansion and contraction of the trough. Further, since the support plates are very rigid in directions transverse of the trough they tend to prevent any lateral deflection or distortion of the curvature of the trough to any significant degree.

I claim:

1. A liatwork ironer chest of a fabricated construction comprising a rigid elongate frame, a trough-like ironing member rectilinear in its lengthwise dimensions and semicylindrical in cross section throughout its central portion for engaging a padded ironing roller, and means for supporting said ironing member on said frame comprising a rigid transverse supporting block rigidly secured at its upper end to said ironing member midway the length thereof and rigidly secured at its bottom end to said frame, and transverse supporting plates at the ends of said ironing member secured only at their end portions to the uppermost portions of said ironing member and secured at their bottom edges to said frame, said supporting plates having a tlexibility in directions lengthwise of said ironing member permitting lengthwise thermal expansion and contraction of said ironing member without causing a substantial distortion of the ironing member out of rectilinearity along the length thereof.

2. The ironer chest set forth in claim 1 wherein each of saidexible support plates has vertical arm portions at the ends thereof secured respectively to the upper side portions of said ironing member for flexure in cantilever fashion responsive to thermal longitudinal contraction and expansion of the ironing member.

3. The ironer chest set forth in claim 1 including channel members secured to the bottom side of said ironing member lengthwise thereof forming heating ducts, said channel members extending from said central block lengthwise of the ironing member to the end portions thereof, and wherein said flexible supporting plates are secured to the outermost channel members at the sides of said ironing member.

4. The ironer chest set forth in claim 1 including channel members on the bottom side of said ironing member forming heating ducts, said channel members extending from said central block to the end portions of the ironing member and traversing said supporting plates, and said central supporting block is of a hollow construction forming a manifold for supplying steam to said heating ducts from a common inlet opening to the supporting block.

5. The ironer chest set forth in claim 1 wherein said transverse supporting block is welded to said ironing member, including thin-walled semicylindrical channel members extending from said central supporting block to the ends of the ironing member and welded along their edges to the outer wall of said ironing member forming heating ducts, and wherein said supporting plates have upright arms at the ends thereof secured at their upper edges to the outermost channel members at the sides of said ironing member to provide the sole connections of said supporting plates to said ironing member whereby the supporting plates have a exibility lengthwise of the ironing member permitting the ironing member to expand and contract lengthwise thereof without being distorted out of rectilinearity.

6. The ironer chest set forth in claim 5 including a ller plate between each arm of said supporting plates and said channel members, said ller plates being at right angles to said support plates and having tabs bent over at the side edges conforming to the walls of adjacent ones of said channel members, said `filler plates being welded to said channel members only along the edges of said tabs, and said support plates being welded to said filler plates only along the inner sides of the support plates whereby the weld is under compression responsive to a longitudinal expansion of said ironing member.

7. A flatwork ironer chest of a fabricated construction comprising a rigid elongate frame having side members, a trough-like ironing member rectilinear in its lengthwise dimensions and semicylindrical in cross section throughout its central portion for engaging a padded ironing roller, and means for supporting said ironing member on said frame comprising a rigid transverse supporting block midway the length of said ironing member having an upper edge conforming to and welded to the outside wall of said ironing member and welded to its bottom edges to said frame and at its side edges to said side members of said frame to the height of the side portions of said ironing member, and both intermediate and outer transverse supporting plates at each side of said central supporting block each secured at the opposite ends theref of to the upper side portions of said ironing member and welded only along the central bottom portion to said frame, said outer support plates being thinner than said intermediate plates to give the outer plates a higher degree of flexibility corresponding to the greater longitudinal expansion and contraction of the ironing member at said outer plates.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,074,410 3/ 1937 Matthews 38-56 2,584,598 2/1952 Leisenring 38-55 3,157,723 11/1964 Hochberg 38--56 X PATRICK D. LAWSON, Primary Examiner 

